Wichita eagle., 1887-12-10
FOOL JIM"

II we may trust general opinion, II was a
series Of follies, beginning in boyhood and
continuing during life James Foljambe-
"Fool JIM" as the boys nicknamed him at
Echool-and the epithet chung to him-dS in
popular Judgment, the most silly things, and
vet prospered. At school he was noted for
his folly as well as for pluck and GOODNESS. If
big boy maltreated little one instead Of
minding his own business, as a sensible boy
should, Fool jim would take it up and thrash
the bully.
when that wretched little Dick Greene, the
son of old Corney Greene, a sort of odd job
man about town, broke his leg by fall from
cherry tree, Fool jim used to go around
and cheer up the little brat, and spend his
pocket money, of which he had plenty, for
Dicks benefit All the leading big boys of
the school thought him fool, bat no one
dared tell him so. for, though be was not
quarTeIsome, he was quick to resent an in
suit and was tough customer in a rough
and tumble fight.
Foljambe left school for an academy where
they prepared boys for college. and went
afterward TO college. / left il at the same
time to become under salesman and general
drudge in the grocery shop Of Figgs & Gal
vacations, until he was graduated, and had
come home. His father, a confirmed invalid,
was very rich, and made great fuss over
him wGfen he returned, and was very proud
of the fact that jim was at the head of his
class There was no nonsense about Jim,
must say. He remembered all his old school
mates and put on 10 airs. He would come
into our shop at all times and talk with me
7 l1yc-,- ,t,I Ia Ia
very rich in time, old Eggs, though ne did
keep his peoples noses close to the grindstone,
never gIpnbled at it.
Not that Jim was an idler He took vast
deal off his sickly fathers hands in managing
the large plantation. No little job that was,
either Foljambe place embraced over 1900
acres, and with the exception of 100 acres Of
woodland. and about 800 Of pasture and
meadow. was closely cultivated. There was
a fine herd of Jersey cattle, then coming
into vogue, and over forty blooded horses,
besides others for p!ow and wagon.
For four years there was nothing worthy-of
note, except that got to be head salesman and
a sort OF general manager in our concern,
which, considering my age, was big lift for
me. But Old Foljanibe died at this time, and
IS James was motherless and an only son he
succeeded 70 the property Then began the
folies Of this son, which made talk for the
country around for years.
The first exhibition was in the matter of
the Peabody mortgage. There had been two
Peabody brothers, Nathan and David; but
David, the younger one. on his fathers death
had taken 81 geo i'll cash for his share, and
gone of 70 Mexico to seek his fortune He
was not heard Of afterward, and was believed
- be dead. Nathan stayed Oh the old place.
lie was a shiftless man, and though he mar
fied Ben Merits daughter, who was a tidy
housewife and a prudent woman, be could
not get along. The farm was pretty well
worn out and he did not improve it at all
The crops grew less and less, ard Nathan
grew Il crop OF debt. To wipe that out he
borrowed another 81, 900 on bond and mort
gage from the sans party who held the first
mortgage u raise David's money. Things
grew worse, and at last the interest remained
Unpaid for two Years and proceedings were
taken to fCreclose the mortgage. Nathan
took sick over it and died. The doctor said
Il WIS typhoid fever, but every one thought
it was the trouble and that Nathan had giver
90 the ghost because he could not face bis
difficulties. At all events, he died, leaving
his widow with one child, girl of Is. She
was very pretty-the image Of her father
and ali the Peabodys were ine looking peo-
pie; but she had her mothers ways.
Everybody pitiest the widow, for it was
well understood that the farm would bring
no more than the debt and law expenses;
In fact. that the mortgage would be obliged
e buy il in With The exception OF one spot
the farm was worn ont sandy loan. over
run with selge grass, the sign OF steTility
The exception was a hill, covering about
fOrty-two acres, apparently composed of a
tough, Craveiiv clay, unit for even brick
making. and incapable Of cultivation To be
sure the i've acres around the house. which
was 1t one end OF the place, mad been used as
q vegetable garden. and that WIS in n little
better order 1t was a sorry piece Of property
SO when sale day came, and happened TO b.
over at the country town, l dropped into the
court house where the sheriff was to sell. |
found only half Dom persons, ard ore of
these was Foliambe and another was Phipps
who held tlie mortgage.
The sheriff, taking that every one knew the
place, which had been with the Peabodys Tor
over 100 years, asked for i bid. The amount
against the property, including the legal
costs, was s.. ISL. Phipps put that in rs a
bid. bat remarked that he GiGn'5 wan, it ar
any price. and any one advancing on that
might have it.
~Tha5 leaves nothing for the widow OBJ
served Foliamhe.
Suppose YOU bid more then. on her &C
count. said PhippS
- shall, replied Foljambe; -, 800"
ais that your bid, Slr. FoliarSbei' inquired
the sheriff
"That is my bid, sir"
So The farm was knocked down to him.
When we were coming away Foljam5e said
70 ne:
~Coffey. you so past the Peabody farm on
Your Wa home ! wish you'd stop and tell
Mrs. Peabody that the place hiss brought
over $, 200 more than the debt, and She must
take oct letters Of administration And tel
her for ne not 10 think Of moving. She can
have the house and the garden around it free
q rent. Shes shifty woman and with that
start she'll get along
| felt that Fol jam6a'S conduct was through
an impulse Of generosity which he could well
afford. Bat the general verdict was that he
was a fool lad lie bid hundred over
Phiyps. or e-en two hundred. If might have
passed, hat to throw awav-abSoluteiy throw
nway-Sl 200. When they heard agterward
tina; lie had given the widow life estate in
the house and garden it was generally agreed
that be should have guardian o~er him to
save his property.
Talk died out, however, to Be revived again
ny another astounding act Of folly.
The ElIcluah iron works, about mile from
Prantford, had exhausted the he'd OF ore they
had been working Tor over forty years, and
had to bring tue crude material some dis
tance by rail and water. Ii began 10 be a
question whether it would nos pay to build